Quarth (Virtual Console)
Reviewed by Cyril Lachel on
September 28, 2012.
Leave it to Konami to mix everything we love about 2D shooters with the block-dropping mayhem of Tetris. Quarth is neither a straight-up shooter nor a puzzle game, opting instead to be its own mongrel genre. You may not fall in love with Quarth, but you won't be disappointed with this charming shooter.
Rating: 71%

What Is It?
Leave it to Konami to mix everything we love about 2D shooters with the block-dropping mayhem of Tetris. Quarth is neither a straight-up shooter nor a puzzle game, opting instead to be its own mongrel genre. You take control of a space ship that shoots blocks at tiles falling from the sky. The idea is to use your ties to turn each object into a perfect square. You can add to the square, making them as big or small as you want, but it's game over if any piece hits your ship. Not only are you rewarded more points for larger blocks, but daring Quarthers will snag power-ups that will allow for even bigger point multipliers. There are several levels to choose from and ships to pilot, making this an exciting new addition to your Nintendo 3DS.

Does It Still Hold Up?
The gameplay is nothing more than moving left and right, all while shooting at falling blocks. I was pleased to see how quick and responsive the firing is; I always felt in control, even in the tensest situations. The graphics are simple and you'll see the same blocks far too often, but that's par for the course when it comes to Game Boy puzzle/shooters.

Is It Worth The Money?
Quarth is an endearing little experiment that can be a fun time-waster. Unfortunately, it's a little too easy and there isn't a whole lot to do outside of beating your high score. On the other hand, it's a three dollar game from 22 years ago. This Konami classic isn't a must-have Game Boy game, but it is a unique experience that everybody should try once. You may not fall in love with Quarth, but you won't be disappointed with this charming shooter.

Leave it to Konami to mix everything we love about 2D shooters with the block-dropping mayhem of Tetris. Quarth is neither a straight-up shooter nor a puzzle game, opting instead to be its own mongrel genre. You may not fall in love with Quarth, but you won't be disappointed with this charming shooter.

This product was submitted by the publisher for review. As a rule, Defunct Games does not review games we spent money on. However, that does not always apply to classic/retro games. This specific product, however, came straight from a PR guy for the purposes of being reviewed!